Handle-bar for bicycles



(N0 Model.)

P. AfGBIER. HANDLE BAR PQR BIGYGLES.

. Patented Deo.21,1897v.

Iggegm @weer UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

PHILIP A. GEIER, or cLEvELAND, oIIIo.

HANDLE-BR FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,944, dated December 21, 1897.

Application filed J'uIy 10,1896. Serial No. 598,700. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP A. GEIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Handle-Bar for Bicycles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the handle-bars of bicycles and similar vehicles, and has for its obj ect to provide a simple, novel, and efcient means for connecting a handle-bar to the steering-head, at the same time rendering the handle-bar reversible or adjustable and also adapting the handle-bar to serve as a locking device for holding the upper ball-cup of the machine-head in place.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described,v illustrated in the drawings, and embodied in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a handle-bar connected to the steering-head in accordance with this invention and showing its adjusted or reversed position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section showing the manner of attaching the handle-bar and clamping the head ball-cup. Fig. 3 is a plan view taken adjacent to the point of connection. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the central portion of the handle-bar. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the upper end of the fork-stem, showing also the head ball-cup.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, l represents the handlebar, and 2 the tubular fork-stem, of a bicycle. For the purpose of carrying out the present invention the upper end of the forkstem is provided with an open slot 3, and the handle-bar is provided at its center with a vertical sleeve 4, adapted to fit over and embrace the upper end of the fork-stem, said sleeve having upon its inside a key or feather 5, which enters the slot 3 in the fork-stem and prevents the handle-bar from turning upon the stem.

6 designates the adjustable ball-cup at the upper end of the machine-head, the same being screw-threaded upon the upper end of the fork-stem 2. This ball-cup has an upwardlyextending conical portion l7, embracing the fork-stem and split at intervals, as shown. The bore of the central sleeve 4i of the handle-bar i's flared both at top and bottom, said l the fork-stem and prevent any possibility of' the ball-cup shifting its position. A conefaced nut S screws upon the upper end of the fork-stem 2 and fits snugly into the dared upper end of the bore of the sleeve 4 and when screwed down serves to lock the handle-bar 011 the stem, causing the handle-bar in turn to lock the ball-cup 6 in place. The nut 8 is provided with diametrically opposite notches 9 for the reception of the teeth or studs of a suitable Spanner, and the said nut may either be left open as to its center or provided with a cross-web 10 for closing the upper end of the fork-stem. It will thus be seen that the nut 8 clamps both the handle-bar and the upper ball-cup upon the fork-stem, thus dispensing with the Ausual clamp-collar and obviating all projections in the form of nuts or screws.

By loosening the nut 8 the ball-cup 6 may be adjusted or the handle-bar may be detached and reversed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The connection described eects a saving in weight, gives the bicycle a neater and stancher appearance, and locates the handle-bar close to the machine-head.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. A handle-bar having a central sleeve the bore of which is similarly flared at top and bottom, in combination with a fork-stem having a threaded upper end fitting loosely in said sleeve, means to lock the handle-bar to the fork-stem to prevent rotary movement between them, a conical bearing-surface on the fork-stem to flt within the lower flared end ofthe sleeve, and a cap-nut screwing on the upper end of the fork-stem and having a conical face to engage within the upper flared end of the sleeve, whereby the handle-bar may be reversed and locked on the fork-stem in either position, substantially as described.

2. A handle-bar having a central sleeve the IOO bore of which is similarly ared at top and bottom, in combination with a forlestem haw` inge threaded upper end fitting in said sleeve, a bali-cup having a split conical portion entering the lower portion of said bore and embracing the fork-stem, and a, nut havinga, ooncai face screwing upon the upper end of the fork-stem and into the upper end of said sleeve, whereby the handiebnr is made re- Io vel-sible, looked in plaeevand the haihcup clamped on the fork-stem, substan tially as described.4 l

In testimony that I claim the foregoing :is lny own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

i PHILIP A. GEIER.

Vitn esses:

H. C. ALBRECHT, ,0. L. BARTSHE. 

